The Return: Cleveland welcomes LeBron back

The Associated Press

CLEVELAND (AP) — LeBron James is coming back to Cleveland. Forget about all those fans who burned jerseys when he left — the city is ready to welcome its NBA superstar home.

Within hours of his announcement Friday that he was leaving Miami to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers, fans celebrated in the streets and an electronic billboard with James’ image lit up the side of a building.

James explained in a Sports Illustrated essay that being near his hometown in northeast Ohio was a big factor in his decision. “I always believed that I’d return to Cleveland and finish my career there. I just didn’t know when. After the season, free agency wasn’t even a thought. But I have two boys and my wife, Savannah, is pregnant with a girl. I started thinking about what it would be like to raise my family in my hometown.”

Take a look at how Cleveland is celebrating.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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